Evening Brief: August 22, 2013

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Evening.

Pressure for international intervention in Syria is rising again, with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius’ call for “a reaction with force” if allegations of a chemical attack launched by the forces of Bashar Assad are proven. The international response so far has focused on a UN investigation, with the UN dispatching its top envoy on disarmament affairs. However, despite Barack Obama’s warning last year that chemical attacks represent a “red line,” recent indications are there’s little appetite in Washington for armed intervention. Foreign Minister John Baird has expressed ‘concern’ about the allegations and has affirmed his support for the UN investigative team.

In another slow-domestic-news-week development, Justin Trudeau admits he has smoked pot since becoming an MP (to PM Harper’s delight). He does not, however, drink coffee.

The Senate, meanwhile, got a chance to shine for something other than expense scandal today, doing what Senate boosters say the Senate does best; the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources delivered its report on the safety of hydrocarbon transportation in Canada. The report, coming weeks after the Lac-Mégantic disaster, got a lot of attention. Among its 13 recommendations is a call for an arm’s-length review of Canada’s rail safety regulatory framework. More here.